Almost There
by Trish Tavor
Summary: "And somehow she knew that she had been right; that everything would be perfect, once she was with him again. All she had to do was reach him."


**A/N:** Written for Slytherin House, Potions Class, on the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry forum.

Task: Write about someone near the end of their life. This could be an old wizard reflecting on his life, or a young witch about to be killed in a duel. Must end in the character dying.

Word Count before Author's Note: 1911

* * *

Lily Potter peeked through the doorway to her son's bedroom, and smiled softly. Harry's face was faintly illuminated by the soft light emanating from her old nightlight, one of the few items Lily still had from her childhood. Her son was asleep in his crib, his soft breathing filling the otherwise silent space. It was one of the few things that made Lily feel at peace in this dark time, and sometimes she felt selfish for it. She wondered if perhaps she and James should not have been more careful; after all, Harry already had a death sentence on his head.

 _You couldn't have known about the prophecy back then. It wasn't your fault_ , she reminded herself. Though she knew the words were true, she still felt guilty somehow. Lily desperately hoped that Voldemort would fall before her son grew up, that he could have a proper childhood. But, according to the prophecy, that was impossible. Her son was the only one who could defeat the dark lord, and he would live his life in fear and preparation. Which wasn't a life at all.

Wiping at the tears that had begun to pool in her eyes, Lily took a small step into Harry's room, and then stopped herself. Her son had begun to stir, but as soon as she ceased moving, he settled down again.

"Lily?" the question came from directly behind her, and she jumped, turning as she did so. James stood right behind her, a questioning look in his eyes, "Are you alright?"

Lily bit her lip, and then shook her head slowly, "No. How could I be?"

"We're going to get through this. _He's_ going to get through this," James whispered, gesturing to Harry. Lily nodded, but it was only a half-hearted agreement. How could he be sure, after all? How could anyone be sure, in this dark time?

"Come on. Watching him while he sleeps isn't going to help anything," James told her. Lily bit her lip harder, and tasted blood. She knew that James meant well, but his words made her feel guilty. She didn't stand in her son's doorway thinking that doing so would give him any protection. She stood there because of the peace that overcame her when she watched him. As though, because of him, everything would be all right.

She wasn't certain she believed that. But it was something to hold on to.

And she desperately needed something to hold on to.

James held out his hand, and Lily slipped hers into it. He gave her hand a small squeeze, and Lily felt warmth flood through her. Perhaps Harry wasn't the only one who gave her a feeling of peace after all.

"I've made tea. Would you like some?" he asked. At this, Lily smiled. A real smile this time. James knew that a strong cup of tea was one of the few things able to make her feel better, and the fact that he had made it tonight showed how much he knew her. And cared about her.

"Yes, I'd like that," she responded.

* * *

The two sat in their living room, sipping the tea that James had made, and not speaking. This was something that Lily would never have thought possible when she met James Potter, arrogant prat that he was. To actually be able to sit in _silence_ was a gift, and not one that she would have expected of James. Apparently he had a different side to him than the one he had first shown, and it was only when she saw this that she fell for him.

Which was something else that Lily had never expected, to fall for James Potter. He had always liked her, for as long as she could remember, but she hadn't had an ounce of interest in him. If anything, there had been times when she despised him more than anyone else. This had started when he bullied Severus and grown as she saw how bigheaded and overconfident he was.

Then there was that one day, when she'd seen that this wasn't really him at all. Or maybe it had been, maybe he'd just changed. Lily wasn't entirely sure, and it was one of the few things that she had never asked him about.

"A penny for your thoughts?" James questioned, winking at her. Lily laughed, as she always did when he said this. It was her saying, really, though that wasn't entirely true either. Technically it was a muggle saying, one that James had been entirely confused about when she had first said it. She could still picture the look of complete confusion etched on his generally know-it-all face, and she had almost died of laughter. Now he used it far more than she did. He'd once told her that he did it just to hear her laugh once again and it still worked every time.

"Oh, I was just – "

"Shhh!" James held up a hand, putting a finger to his lips, and Lily immediately silenced, her heart pounding.

 _It's nothing. It's nothing._ She repeated the phrase over and over to herself. _We're just being paranoid, as always, far too worried. It's nothing._

And then she heard it. Footsteps, like someone trying not to be heard and failing. Footsteps coming closer every second.

"Go get Harry," James whispered. Lily didn't move, paralyzed with fear, "Go get Harry," he repeated, his whisper more urgent this time. He drew out his wand.

"I'm not leaving you." Lily surprised even herself with the words. Honestly, she couldn't believe she wasn't already running up the stairs to her son.

"You have to get Harry! Get him out of here!" James words were verging on paranoia now, but still barely above a whisper. Lily knew why. If someone was here, then that meant one of them would need to be a distraction, while the other made it for the back door and outside of the non-apparition circle that had been created. Assuming, of course, that whoever was here hadn't covered the back door too.

"I love you," Lily whispered, leaning forward and kissing James as though she never wanted to let him go, and then doing exactly that.

"We're going to be fine," James responded, though the shakiness of his voice gave him away, "I love you, Lily."

The two locked gazes, and Lily felt terror rising up in her. Without another word she turned and sprinted out of the room and up the stair, realizing only then that this was a bad idea. Whoever was out there would know that they had heard and –

*CRASH*

Lily heard what could only be the sound of the door crashing in, and drew her wand, running into Harry's room. He was sitting up in the crib now, staring at her with eyes open as wide as she was certain they could be opened.

"Where is the boy?" came a deep, sickening growl from downstairs, and it was all Lily could do to keep herself from fainting. _He_ was here. _Voldemort_ was here.

"They've gone," came James voice, surprisingly strong, "You've lost."

A dark and humorless laugh. Then: "You think you can lie to me? AVADA KEDAVRA!"

"No!" The words were out of Lily's mouth before she could stop them, and only then did she realize that this was it. She had lost precious time listening to Voldemort's interaction with James, and now she heard noises on the stairs. She was entirely out of time.

Her vision became cloudy as tears streamed from her eyes. After everything she'd done, after everything she'd been through. This was it. It was over. Her husband was dead, and soon she would join him.

But perhaps her son would not.

Lily forced herself to remain strong, though at that moment she didn't know where the strength came from. She stood in front of the crib where Harry lay, just as _he_ came through the doorway. A dark smile stretched across his face.

"Step out of my way." Voldemort's words were drawn out, and spoken as though he had plucked them from the depths of hell. Lily's resolve did not waver, though she didn't know why.

"Never," was her only response.

"You need not die. I am here for the boy only. Give him to me, and your life will be spared," he continued.

Lily shook her head, but could not find her voice this time. A hundred thoughts were running through her head, and though it seemed strange in this moment where she knew she was about to die, one stood out.

 _Sirius betrayed us._

It was the only way that this could have happened, and the knowledge broke Lily's heart. Out of everyone in the world, they had trusted Sirius. And he had led them to Pettigrew, rather than taking on the role of secret keeper himself. Somehow they had misjudged him. Lily turned her head slightly, and saw the toy broom on the floor, the one that he had given to Harry. Then she turned back to Voldemort. The dark lord studied her, grinning maliciously.

"Figured it out, did you?" The words were cruel, and Lily felt them all throughout her. But still she stood her ground. And she forced herself to think of James, her husband who had given his life for her and Harry. Given his life in vain, as all three of them would die tonight. Standing here, she was certain of this. Voldemort would kill Harry no matter what.

But she would stand here until the end.

Which was almost upon her.

Once again, she turned her head slightly, and looked at Harry. The boy had tears streaming down his cheeks, but was strangely silent. In only moments, she would be leaving him. _"I love you, Harry,"_ she whispered, though she was certain that he could hear her.

"Is this your decision, then?" Voldemort's voice was calm, but menacingly cold.

The words hit Lily like thunderclaps, but she nodded, tears clouding her vision.

"It is," she responded, trying to keep her voice level. She tasted salt on her lips.

"So be it. AVADA KEDAVRA."

Lily Potter heard the words, saw the brilliant green light, but it was as though they were coming to her from some distant place, a place that wasn't a part of her world. All she saw was Harry: Harry in his crib, Harry smiling, Harry laughing and walking on his baby legs. And then she saw James. James ruffling his hair, smiling at her, winking. James kissing her for the first time, and Lily feeling as though everything in the world would always be perfect, as long as she was with him.

And then Lily saw light. Brilliant, white light. Brighter than anything she had ever seen. From the light she heard a voice, though she couldn't quite place it, and she felt herself reaching for it. Reaching for the voice, and slowly drawing closer to it. It was a moment before she realized that the voice belonged to James. He was calling her.

And somehow she knew that she had been right; that everything would be perfect, once she was with him again. All she had to do was reach him.

Lily felt herself smile, felt all the pain drain from her, all the hurt and fear and worry that she had felt for what seemed like years.

She just needed to reach him.

Reach James.

And she was almost there.


End file.
